pursued and caught by God
Lent with Bruggemann
"Surely goodness and mercy will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever" (Psalm 23.6 EHV).
The verb 'follow' is a powerful, active verb. We are being chased by God's powerful love. We run form it. We try to escape. We fear that goodness, because then we are no . . .
Posted in: lentreflections
denying our self-centered selves
Lent with Bruggemann
"He called the crowd and his disciples together and said to them, 'If anyone wants to follow me, let him deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it. But whoever loses his life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. After all, what good is it for a man to gain . . .
Posted in: lentreflections
old truths and new truths
Lent with Bruggemann
Writing on Jesus' healing of the blind man in John 9, Bruggemann rightly highlights the showdown between the Pharisees and Jesus. He describes this encounter as "a contrast between old established truth that keeps everything in place, that has all the answers, that keeps everything under control and assures certain entitlements, and . . .
Posted in: lentreflections
orthodoxy vs. orthopraxy
thoughts on the parable of the Good Samaritan
Yesterday in worship our pastor preached on the familiar parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10). In his sermon he discussed the difference between orthodoxy (right beliefs) and orthopraxy (right actions) and how this parable stressed the need for the latter to one who possessed only the former.
Undoubtedly, our beliefs are . . .
reflection for the second Sunday in Lent (2021)
(Note: this is an updated version of an essay first posted in 2019)
Let me start today by listing a few folks to get you thinking about Lent--Hulk Hogan, The Rock, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Jesse Ventura, Ric Flair, and "The Hustler" Rip Rogers. No doubt you've heard of all these guys who were all . . .
Posted in: lentreflections
second Sunday in Lent (2021)
contemplating collects
O GOD, Who seest that of ourselves we have no strength; Keep us both outwardly and inwardly; that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, . . .
Israel's sin and ours
Lent with Bruggemann
"Seek the LORD while he may be found! Call on him while he is near! Let the wicked man abandon his way. Let an evil man abandon his thoughts. Let him turn to the LORD, and he will show him mercy. Let him turn to our God, because he will abundantly pardon" (Isaiah 55.6-7 EHV).
Time and time again, the Old Testament prophets . . .
Posted in: lentreflections
